Hey, y'all! Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
Henri, glad to see y'all are back home. Keep us updated on how Joe is doing and any news you get from the doctor on his surgery.
Nothing newsy going on here, my first week back to work pretty much wiped me out so I've been lazy all weekend. Today I'm doing a little laundry and making a couple of cards for work friends who are very ill, and then more being lazy.
Y'all enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thanks, Tammy, but I can't do any less. During my ordeal, I learned how blessed I am with the outpouring of love, prayers and good wishes, not to mention the gifts and cards that poured in, from my long time friends and from friends I've never even met in person. These 2 work friends are going through far worse ordeals than mine, and they are very dear to me, so I'm just doing a little "pay it forward". Hopefully my cards will lift their spirits a little and make them feel as loved and special as I felt.
Henri, sounds like Joe is feeling well, I'm sure y'all are all anxious to hear from the doctor about the surgery and to get it done and over with. I am still sending out prayers for y'all, and will continue until the surgery is done and he is 100%.
Catch y'all later, my dryer is calling me.................

Darla, congrats on your first week back at work and STILL having the energy to tell us about it. That's huge.

And if we're still talking about being "all caught up", then here's my take. I didn't start scrapping until 4 years ago. We have no children, all our physical photos were in storage, and both DH and I are avid snappers. We could take a couple of thousand between us on a vacation. There is no way I would ever be caught up in the literal sense, and I wouldn't want to scrap everything, anyway.

So the plan I came up with was to have an album for each year starting now (2008), and work backwards as well as forwards. I would commit to one LO for each month of the year (more than that is an optional extra), and being "caught up" meant that I had completed this month's LO and was working on the past albums. It works for me.

Jarvae- The Les Miz tour gets here next week. What's changed? I saw it on Broadway so many years ago. It's a little too classy for me. lol I remember really liking it when I was about 13, tho- I thought it was the best show ever. I've been thinking about going to see the new tour.

I did celebrate PayDay on Friday night- a little bit. Got a few things at Jo-Ann - some Tim Holtz stuff: the Destinations paper pad, the pine cone die AND one of the new 4-packs of Cuttlebug embossing folders. Anybody seen the new 4-packs? I got the one called "James' Set" - some really cool patterns.

The rest of the weekend was kinda lost... Saturday, I had to run downtown to repaint the stage floor of the little theatre before another company's show moved in, then to a storage unit to help re-organize costume storage IN THE RAIN, then to a coworker's son's birthday party. All with an injured neck. Have I told yall about my injured neck? I thought I just slept wrong but IT IS STILL HURTING. :-/ I can barely turn my head.

Kory, I actually think you would like it. The sets have mostly all been updated and I will say they are GORGEOUS!!! The colors, the lighting, really amazing. I actually kept thinking I wish I could take pictures during certain scenes and turn them into patterned paper. There are more special effects than before- in my opinion it makes it much better than the original. The cast is outstanding. Last night was their closing performance and I think that is always a good one to see because it seems like they really give it all they've got. I think they did a better job connecting to the audience than previous productions that I've seen.

I agree with Korybean, I don't know why or how to explain it but I just love using it and the way the results look. I think it's one of those things you just have to experience before you understand it, lol.
Hey, y'all, hope everyone survived Monday. My day was so freaking busy, we have so many idiot clients that can't get their [email protected] in by month end, so they jam it all in the first working day of the month. Duh! If you missed month end, what's the point in cramming it all in on the first? It's not going to do them any good until this month ends, so why the rush now? Some people are just clueless!
On an up note, yesterday I made a couple of cards for the whole department to sign and send to the 2 co-workers who are so ill, and everyone really gave me alot of compliments on the cards. Now my hope is that the recipients enjoy receiving them and that it helps brighten their day.
And another good news moment, I didn't realize until today that next Monday is a holiday! YAY! As much as I'm glad to be back to work, a 3-day weekend will be nice. Especially if I'm as tired by the end of this week as I was last week, lol.
Hope y'all have a great evening!

Our calendar is starting to get full. I have a crop October 6th. The following weekend we are will probably go to my mother's house in Alabama. If my son and his wife can go, then we will go to, and it gives me a chance to take the baby her gift.

My mother has not missed Sunday School in 50 years - she has rearranged schedules and even checked herself out of the hospital early when she had a hysterectomy 30 years ago. She doesn't miss.

The churches in our area did not have Sunday School on Easter Sunday morning so she will not come spend Easter with us becuase she will not miss Sunday School - it is that important to her.

Anyway, there is a big party for her (which she is not going to like becuase she does not go every Sunday for attention, its a private thing for her) but, the church is having the party so a lot of family is going.

Then Joe has the test where they look at his brain for the inside. Don't even want to think about that one.

THen most likely we will leave on October 22nd for a 16 day cruise - starts in Quebec, goes to a lot of places in Canada, goes to New York and Charleston (I want to eat at Hyman's Seafood) and ends up in Ft. Lauderdale. We are seriously considering it.

We get home November 7th and will have a house guest that day who will stay for a week.

Then on November 19th Joe has 3 more tests but none with a pain factor.

We finally got the patio cover completed, no thanks to my elderly dad who thinks he needs to "supervise" everything. There was a collective sigh of relief when he finally left. Today was super busy at work, but I did make time to place an order on here this afternoon!

One fun thing we did over the weekend was get together with some dear friends we haven't seen in awhile. We used to hang out most weekends, either go eat dinner, then drink and play Rock Band or make some grub and watch a DVD. We've both been super busy lately, so we made it a point to cook out and watch some UFC on Saturday night.

A few weeks ago, I decided I would make her an album for her birthday this year. They just got back from their annual trip to Mexico, and I've been dying to use my Echo Park Paradise Beach collection kit. I just got an 8x8 album and some matching cardstock and went to work. I finished it a lot quicker than I thought I would, so I was too excited to wait another two weeks for her birthday and gave it to her. She loved it!! She even cried! It made me feel so good! I was super happy that she truly enjoyed it!

Better grab some dinner before all the Monday night sit-coms come on. Have a great evening, everyone!!

Yippee!! Just booked a week trip with my BFF to go stay at my DD house in Tampa. I'm so excited. Will have to find that cabana boy for sure this time. ,I got so sunburned last trip. Time at the pool with the most awesome slide that starts up in the trees, Clearwater beach here we come. Again.

Just us girls for a week. We get to decorate her house for holidays. Her style is very classic. Black,,white, grey, tan. Not much on walls. No chockies. Clean, simple lines.
But she wants the front porch fixed up for trick or treat. Maybe we can make last thru thanksgiving. It will be fun working on someone else's house. Can't wait.

lol Kory - no I don't have one because it looks just like a tiny stapler (which I don't really use much in my scrapping anyway) but show me the light my friends and who knows I have come to love sir Tim.

I have to give Tammy some support here ... I, too, do not understand the Tiny Attacher phenomenon. I used to have a mini stapler when I was young, and it looked similar. I also don't really staple anything, other than at work.

Well, it is just a stapler. A totally bad-a stapler guaranteed to make you weep with happiness. It will complete you.

Actually, I try not to buy too many toys just because we are very limited on space in our one bedroom apartment. But I had another stapler that had smaller staples, but they really looked kind of flimsy... almost "accidental". Like I forgot to cover them up or something. On some projects where I want a more industrial look, I like to add a few staples in a row, and the regular and mini ones I had just didn't look right.

The Tiny Attacher, however, has very NICE sturdy staples. They are smaller, but they are thicker and the way it staples is very clean and sharp looking.

My stapler also seems to leave dents around the staples, and I don't like that. The Tiny Attacher doesn't do that. Very clean looking. When you look at the back of the staple, it is very even and clamps all the way down (doesn't leave the kind of bowed out wings that normal staples do). It's a tight fit even on only one piece of cardstock and doesn't wiggle around and leave extra space.

And I love the size- it's perfect for when I want to staple ribbon... even my skinny ribbons that larger staples don't work with (the ribbon will slip through)... and other embellies, chipboard, whatever. Small enough to cover them if I don't want them showing, but I don't even know if I would want to cover them, they are so cute!

Plus, and this might be what it's really about... you can tell that it's not just a standard staple, and that in itself makes it look more part of the design. Not that there's anything wrong with using regular staples, but when you KNOW it was something that was designed specifically for scrapbooking, somehow it just makes it look better to me.

Hey, y'all, hope everyone is well today.
I've been catching up on the great Tiny Attacher debate, lol. It is "just" a stapler, and I don't do industrial type layouts or cards either, but the sturdy tiny staples just look so cute when used to attach a tag, ribbon, flower or any other embellishment, I use it so much more than I thought I would. It doesn't have the typical staple industrial look, which I like, it integrates so nicely with any type of style. I'm not trying to be an enabler, lol, just saying that I love mine.
Sheryl, great news that you are going back to Florida! Hope you have an awesome time again!
Y'all enjoy the rest of your day and evening!

The TINY ATTACHER is *NOT* "JUST" a STAPLER! It is a thing of magic and beauty. And if it were just a stapler, HRH Mr. Holtz would've named it 'the little stapler,' and not THE TINY ATTACHER!

And it doesn't just work on industrial style things- f'realz, it looks good on anything. ANYTHING, I tell you! And I demand that you run out right now and buy one! Get one at Ms with a coupon. Trust me, everyone needs a little stap- OOPS, TINY ATTACHER!

Last Thursday when we brought Joe home from the hospital we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch and they had a large resin Turkey that would be so perfect on my Thanksving dessert table. But I didn't get it.

Went to the Cracker Barrel in Ocala this afternoon and they only got on in. Pricey but I grabbed it. I don't know why. I haven't been home to cook Thanksgiving dinner in 4 years, but I'm ready this year!

While there they had life-sized Santa boots to put on the hearth with fur trim. They were $39.99 and yep - got those too!

And then on to the Halloween section. They had the cutest little resin dogs - a dashound dressed in a hot dog costume with ketchup on it and a cord in his mouth with a pumpkin. Just too cute.

Then of course I had to have the dog dressed like a banana and the dog with the Frankenstein mask on top of his head and the dog with the funny nose and glasses costume.

One new outfit for granddaughter (should be shot for what that cost) and a very inexpensive cape for me becuase we are considering another cruise in a couple weeks and if we go it will be cool on deck.

Okay, bad Henri. Bad, bad Henri.

Got a block against this page I'm trying to scrap and thought shopping might help me get over it. It didn't.

What is a "Cracker Barrel" and how does one buy lunch and shop for cute Halloween/Christmas stuff in the same place?....enquiring minds want to know!
(The only "cracker barrel" I know is a company that makes cheese....)

Henri, yep, they have THE MAGNIFICENT AMAZING tiny attacher at box stores. I got mine at HL with a coupon, but I know they have them at M's as well. J's has them online but I don't know if they have them in stores.

Cracker Barrels are country-type restaurants with fantastic gift shops that you have to walk through to get in and out of the restaurant. They usually (conveniently) have a wait to be seated, so of course you browse through the gift shop...and they always have seasonal items with seasonal background music. Then while you eat, you keep thinking just how much you really NEED all the things you saw earlier, so afterwards all these items jump into your arms as you try to walk out the door. By the time you've stuffed yourself, then overworked your charge card, you can relax and ponder the damage you just did to your financial future while rocking in one of their wonderful country rockers out on the front porch. Oh...and if you really enjoy that rocking, of course the rockers are for sale also :>)

I know by experience CBs are in a line between the CA/AZ border straight through to FL, but I don't remember off-hand how far north they go. Personally, I think they're a bit expensive for the food, but the menus are all the same, so if you just want a place that you know what to expect & has decent hours for travelers, a Cracker Barrel is a good stop.~Judy

Alison, Cracker Barrel is the greatest inventon ever! A restaurant, with a large country-type git store where you wait to get in.
Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole is my favorite. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. They do have good gifts, a nice cold sasparilla and sit in the rockers out front. Doesn't get much better!

I have to agree about the tiny attacher. It is wonderful. I got mine years ago because I thought I may use it some and I love it. Like Jarvae said, very flat neat staples. I use it alot. Ribbon, TH film strip (which I TOTALLY love).

I gotta go. My wireless keyboard is skipping a lot of letters. I just put new batteries in it to. Back/kidney is killing me this evening, and it could be the painmeds I'm on,but I'd rather blame the keyboard. Better not use my nifty new CutterPillar cause I could lose a finger. I do love that thing.

I just looked and it looks like Cracker Barrels are all over...except for CA. We're not a business-friendly state :>( We have to drive over to Yuma, AZ if we want to go to one (180 miles each way, but sometimes we do it just for the ride). If you're ever in South Portland, ME, you might try one. That's probably the closest to eastern Canada.~Judy

Sheryl, so sorry you are feeling crummy! And I know they are a necessary evil, but I am so incredibly glad to be off the painkillers I was taking for what seemed like forever. My mind is clearer and I of course am not so groggy feeling. I am finally getting back in the groove at work, but am still a bit tired by the time I get home every day. I know it's still going to take a little more time until I am operating at full capacity again, but like with the recuperation, each day is just a little better. I hope you feel better soon too! Maybe you will feel well enough and not have other plans and can meet us at MHF for Demo Day this month. Watch their blog, I think it's going to be a week early this month because Lisa's son is getting married on what would be the usual Saturday, but it looks like they are going to have some great new product in just in time for Demo Day. Would love to meet you in person.
Henri, sounds like you made a haul shopping in Cracker Barrel. Sometimes they have some really unique fun stuff in their gift shop, it's hard to resist!
Y'all have a great night, catch up with everyone tomorrow.

Cracker Barrels are in all the southern states, maybe a lot further at every interstate exit. They are always very close to exits, never more than a block or so.

They have a big country store with darling (but pricy) seasonal blouses and sweaters - (now there are tons of pretty blouses and sweaters for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) and lots of cute home decorating things and baby clothes and nostalgic candy and toys.

I can spend hours just looking at things because it is different than you find in other stores.

Once you go in, in the back corner is the entrance to the restaurant. At certain times there is a wait to get in - sometimes for 30 or 40 minutes so you shop while waiting for your name to be called.

There are big rocking chairs out front and big chess tables set up.

The walls in the restaurant are decorated with old tins and pictures and other old country stuff. The meals are actually pretty good southern cooking and you can get breakfast any time.

I love their hash brown casserole, their chicken pot pie, chicken and rice casserole and their cinnamon apples.

Alison Maine is definitely NOT the closest - there are Cracker Barrels in Michigan and deifnitely in Pennslyvania but none of those are really close to you either. If you get to the States I suggest you try them - my dd and I love em.

1. Next time I need something to buy at M's or HL with my coupon, I will break down and get a Tiny Attacher. I said it out loud, in print, so now it's official.

2. Henri - In 2010, a few months after my boxer died and we'd adopted another, some friends were at Cracker Barrel and found the most adorable Halloween decoration that they gave to me. It's a huge boxer, dressed like a pirate, that has a basket for candy that you leave on your front porch. It's probably 3.5 feet tall, it's huge! And adorable. And it looks just like my Junior, and late Maxwell. We just got it out of the storage area so I could put it out this year!

3. Darla - the dog walk is at Reeves Park, in Norman. You can get all the details on Second Chance Animal Sanctuary's website, or from the links on my FB page or blog. I'm bummed about the weather being cold, but looks like several of our friends will come out with their pups, we'd love to have you guys join us!!!

4. After the dog walk on Saturday, I'm coming home to watch OU Football. Then, I'm scrapping, decorating for an upcoming party and working on our Halloween costumes. That is ALL I'm going to be doing through Monday. I only a have a few layouts to go to finish my Las Vegas album finally, and have 3 layouts waiting to be done as well. I have a dress to sew, and some decorations to finish for our annual OU/Texas party. I'm excited to be crafty!!!

SHeryl and Manda - sorry you are both feeling bad - or feeling puny as we say in the south.

Hope you are both feeling better fast.

Tanya - I remember the pirate dog you mentioned. I wanted it so badly and went back to get it and they were all gone! But the pirate dog was my favorite! There were 3 different dogs in costumes I think and they were all large and so cute. I wanted them to put on the hearth of my fireplace. We never use the fireplace. We'd burn up in central Florida if we actually lit it! So I just decorate it for holidays.

KK - If I can find the things I want/need, I will be a Lion (can't believe I've never been one, since I'm such a proud Leo, even have the symbol tattoo!) and Josh will either be a Ring Master (what I'm hoping for) or a Zookeeper (what he will be more comfortable in). I keep trying to push the fact that if he's a Ring Master, he'll get to carry a whip! I keep hoping he'll bite at that selling point, LOL!

The past 3 years we have been on a cruiseship on Halloween. On the last one people really planned and dressed up. I had a dress made to be comfortable - floor length muumuu which was black from one direction and red from a different angle and had silver spider webs covering it - from the novelty fabric dept at Joanns.

I was the black widow. Bill felt he was dressed up because he wore a Blackwater shirt. Not dressed up - it was one of his old polo-type uniform shirts brom Baghdad with Blackwater and the Blackwater logo on it.

The two other cruise ships didn't do much for Halloween - a Halloween party and party and the staff was dressed up. But the last one people really dressed up! I'm just not willing to pack heavy for a cruise with things I will wear once although I did take the Black Widow dress.

ALSO- y'all seen the Sihouette PORTRAIT in the New Arrivals section?! So it's smaller than a Cameo? For some reason, I thought a Cameo only cut 81/2X11? Ohhh I still aint bought my Sihouette- so maybe this'll be the one! lol

Hey, y'all! I'm home from another great day at work. If they would just turn me loose for about 5 or 10 minutes with a couple of our problem clients, my life would be so much better! I understand people make mistakes, even I (believe it or not!) make mistakes, but it shouldn't take 4 freaking hours to fix their screwup! Other than that little issue, I'm still glad to be back at work. It has really helped to get back into a routine, I'm actually sleeping through the night now! YAY! That probably helps me feel better more than anything, lol!
I got home today to a surprise! I finally made up my mind what I wanted to use the gift certificate that Henri Jean so generously gave me, and placed the order Monday. That's right, Monday. And the package came today! Another YAY! Gotta love sb.com's fast service! So now I have even more new goodies to play with!
Korybean, did you see that Demo Day at MHF is a different Saturday this month? Lisa's son is getting married on the 3rd Saturday so they moved it, I think it's the 2nd Saturday, have to look to be sure. But didn't want you to miss it!
Okay, gotta run, y'all have a great evening!

I'm with you, Korybean, on being excited about the hopefully cold and rainy weekend. I have several projects in my scrappy room that are just begging to be done, and since Monday is a holiday, if the weather cooperates, the long weekend will be perfect to get lots of stuff done. I'm very excited about the prospect of cold weather! I absofreakinglutely adore cold weather!! And I am so tired of this hot weather, I am not a hot weather person. I was born in the middle of winter, I figure that's why I love cold weather so much, lol!
Korybean, I gots your back when it comes to Demo Day, buddy! It wouldn't be near as much fun without you! And maybe, just maybe, if we cross all our fingers and toes and hold our breath and the stars are aligned and Mars is in retrograde, we might be able one of these times to get the lovely Ms Tanya and the awesome Ms Sheryl to join us. Maybe, lol!
Manda, hope you feel better soon. My sister has been sick with sinus infection and upper respiratory infection, seems like it is taking forever for her to get well.
Everyone have a great evening!

Tanya, I'm going to look at some old layouts from last Halloween and see if the dress shows up on any of them. There was a photo taken by the ship photographer which really showed the dress by $39.00? I think not.

Dont know why Holland America ships photos are so much more than other ships.

Okay - best photo I can find but its just a small snapshot - but from one angle the material is red and from another its black. You can sort of see that, it just keeps changing from red to black as I move. The spider webs did not show up at all.

SUCH a busy day at work today! I've had no time to come by and chat But I got a lot done and that's always a good feeling.

I hope everyone who's feeling under the weather starts feeling better soon. Everyone who had great days today and yesterday, YAY!

Henri, I know what you mean about hauling costumes around. When Rob and I went to Italy earlier this year, we went during Carnival. We usually pack VERY light (one carry-on suitcase and two small school-size backpacks total for both of us for 2 weeks in New Zealand with beach and winter weather). But for Italy we both brought very large costumes. I had a hoop skirt, very large feathers, and a hat, plus the rest of my costume. We ended up taking 2 large suitcases and 2 backpacks with us. To us, that is a LOT. We were only in Italy for 2 weeks and normally would have taken just the one small carry-on plus our backpacks.

Darla - OMG, THANK YOU!!!!!!! I woke up this morning in disbelief!!! Thank you soooo much!!!!

Henri - LOVE the dress, looks awesome!!!! And your pages with the chandiliers are great!!!!

KK - I want him to be the ringmaster because I thought it would look classier than a zookeeper! And he always says I come up with ideas that make him look stupid. I have to agree, I've had some doozies, but I just say he's not a good sport, LOL!

Also KK - the Silhouette Portrait isn't worth it (in my opinion). The original Silhouette only did 8.5x11, the Cameo does 12x12, one of my reasons for upgrading. I say, for the money, the Cameo is still the better deal.

Sheryl - I love that new storage!!!

Demo Day - I'm definitely out this month. The Dog Walk is this Saturday, next Saturday is OU/Texas, and the following Saturday I'm at Affair of the Heart with my co-worker (unless she decides to back out). And later that night is our Halloween party. Busy month for me! That's another reason I have to get our costumes taken care of THIS weekend!

I stopped at Hancocks after work and found the perfect material for my dress and the fur for my "mane" and tail, etc. I'm SUPER excited about it!!! I used to sew more, but haven't since ... probably three or four Halloween's ago ... so I'm hoping it will be real easy to put in some straight seams. While I've got my machine out, I'm going to try sewing on some cardstock. Always wanted to do it, but never have!

Crackel Barrel is arestaurant of mainly home country food style. Very good and the ambiance is very home like. Big chimney is always on. They a store before you get into the restaurant. Lof of rocking chairs in the big front porch. Love it!

I used to love to shop at Hancocks. WIsh we had one here. When I was in real estate in Georgia I found a wonderful seastress (I can't thread a needle) who made lightweight dressy jackets which were fully lined - about 12 of them to go with my work slacks. She made some cute holiday theme jackets for me with pumkins and one black jacket with spider webs all over it for Halloween. Just did beautiful work.

I found a woman here to make my Halloween dress and two others for a cruise and I am not happy with her work at all. I would love to find another seamstress but I really don't need jackets or things anymore. Most of the clothes I want now are fun clothes for holidays.

So cool that you can make your Halloween costume Tanya. The most creative and original costumes are always ones that are homemade. Can't wait to see the photos of your costumes you are working on!

I'm working on Key West layout about Robert, the Haunted Doll. Lots of typed journaling because I just finished researching and writing out the entire story of Robert. I hadn't planned for it to be 3 pages, but it is.

May get into some spookie embellies but I really don't want to take away from the story line and photos so I don't know.

It starts on the left side so I may do two pages of story and generic ghost tour pictures and then when you turn the page show a picture of Robert and the words, "You'd better be nice to Robert."

The page on the right side from that will be a page on a restaurant in Key West - totally unrelated so I really have to work through this to make it fall right.

Hope to finish it in the next few hours becuase journaling is all done.

Sorry to hear you're sick, Manda! I hope you get to feeling better fast!

I just had a lunchtime shopping spree at the Basket Market with Holly and JayJay- they picked me up at work and we ran over to see what damage we could do... I'm afraid the BM employees (except for my favorite friendly cashier lady) cringe to see me 'n Holly crash thru the door- they're like, oh great- there goes the peace and quiet. Today, I just really noticed how Holly and I have no problems whatsoever with shouting at each other across aisles and/or the room. We get pretty loud and in a 'rush' with it being 'lunch hour' (that's putting it at a rough estimate- it usually turns into LUNCH 90MINUTES, depending on what we're finding).

ANYWAYS- they had a brand new Sizzix e-Clips machine that was really tempting me- only 160.00! But then I used my brain, realized I really don't even use my Cricut all that much and the only reason I'm wanting the eClips is for the Tim Holtz cartridges but THEN I'd have to buy ALL the stamps (I really only have the 'ghettoHOLTZ' stamp sets- the slightly smaller packs you can find at Ms or da HobLobs AND USE A COUPON). Believe it or not, I'm not made of money and want to pay 25.00 or so for those classy Stampers Anonymous sets! As much as I want them... lol I love stamps- but I don't use them SO much (or so well or so often) to justify buying expenisive 'nice' sets- if I find them for a couple bucks at Basket Market or clearance aisles or Tuesday Mornings, I snatch them up- but rarely buy the full size sets. Even as much as I love how they come mounted on those nifty plastic boards that fit in nice binders...

And I say I dont buy much in stamps- but I seem to have over a thousand of them.

ANYWAYS- It was a day for PAPER at the Basket Market! I stocked up for COLD FRONT SUPER SCRAP SATURDAY! They had LOTS and I mean LOTS of NAME BRAND PAPERS- I bought a ton of STUDIO CALICO (!!), Heidi Swapp, Prima, Crate, American Crafts, Authentique- all for a QUARTER a page. Yeah! Instead of fitty cents a page! My favorite friendly cashier lady sold them ALL to me for a quarter, 'since they're not marked.' I love her. She's my best friend.

I also found some great 6X6 pads- the new Kaisercraft Sears and Sons, the new Studio Calico HEYDAY...

Great scrores Kory! I love paper - may have to get to my Tuesday Morning although it is not near me. I only go when someone here talks about the great things they found - the only time I venture to that side of town.

Mine doens't seem to have as much good scrap stuff though. Wish we had a Basket Market - that one really sounds good.

I wish we had a store like that here too. My LSS just got some paper in that I had been wanting- Prima Craftsman- but they didn't have all the papers (I think they were missing 2 of them). And of course they are about a buck each.

LOL!! I was just at Basket Market yesterday, KK, and was disappointed in only finding 3 things, all for $1. There was a line at the register, so I just put it all back and left without buying a thing! It's so funny how people have completely different tastes!

I won't be using paper for awhile or doing anthing fiddly - I stabbed myself quite badly - I am alone until the Knightly One gets home from working overtime - normally this much blood would have had me on the floor. I have discovered we need to stock a decent first aid kit cause I am sittin here with my hand wrapped in gauze and packing tape from the post office.

Oh no Tammy!!! What happened? Are you quite sure you don't need to be getting yourself to the hospital?

I just ordered some replenishment first aid supplies yesterday. We are preparing for the zombie apocalypse so we have quite a lot ready to go, but some of those things do expire especially in the garage in the Texas heat so I ordered restocks.

oh my gosh you made me laugh - no I shall be fine - I am able to stand without feeling woozy and my heart has stopped pounding and the dh will be home in about 5 more mins so if I get worse he can take me

Tanya! We need to meet up at BM for a lunchtime funtime pretty soon. It IS funny how we have such different taste- me n Holly have kinda similar taste, and it can get violent then turn to begging pleading or 'bargaining' when we both see something the other likes. She has a REALLY fast eye, tho- (even faster than my famous spot a paper across a room eye)-

Today, she accused me of getting in her 'area' at Basket Market! So, if Holly is in front of a pile of paper, ALL of that is considered HERS, until she officially PASSES- just so ya know...

Glad you are okay Tammy. I hope it heals quickly so you can get back to being crafty

I am going on a self-imposed spending hiatus. Normally I am really good about not buying things until I am actually working on a LO that needs them. But then this summer I kinda went a little crazy and my amount of scrappy stuff has literally quadrupled. That in itself is not a big deal, except that we are in a one bedroom apartment and I have taken over our entire living room. When I am working on something, I really tend to spread out and cover all flat surfaces with my scrapcrap. So right now I have 4 folding tables, our coffee table, my desk, the bar, and one of the kitchen counters covered in stuff.

But that's not the real reason why. The real reason is that our realtor emailed us yesterday and said she found a house that she thinks we will like. We clicked the link, and it was one of the ones we had already planned to ask her about. Which means a dedicated scraproom for me But then we went to look at how much we need for a down payment and somebody (me) hasn't been holding up to her end of the bargain and saving up cash. And apparently the bank doesn't take really super awesome scrapbook pages as payment. So I need to buckle down.

So now ever time I am tempted to buy something (and there have been LOTS of temptations), I just keep thinking I'm spending the money on a whole room instead. This is gonna be pretty hard for me, but I should theoretically have plenty in my stash to keep me going for quite some time.

Tammy - I hope your husband is home by now! I don't do well with blood either. Can't believe you stabbed yourself! Since you can't scrap it must be on your hand. If your husband thinks you need stitches - go get them!

Jarvae - so exciting about saving for a house! And having a scrap room!

I have to quit buying patterned papers becuase I've run out of room for it all and have to quit buying tools because I'm not really using many of them. I plan to and then I don't.

I finished the Rober the Haunted doll Layout - its is one of the plainest layouts I've ever done. So much journaling to tell the story of the haunted doll that the first page doens't have a spare inch for an embellie.

The second page focuses ont he picture and I haven't found any embellies I like with it. I am going to a crop on Saturday and I may look for some little embellies later. Right now, I just don't have any idea how to make this nice without making it look cartoony or silly.

Actually a knife and a few things like that would work. I'm putting this one aside as complete but later when I look at the different stores at embellishments I'll find some things to dress it up.

May also print the journaling out on different paper - this isn't looking the way I want it to. Bill has my car so I can't run to the store but will be in a crop in a scrapbook store on Saturday.

Jarvae, you totally crack me up. Zombie apocolypse. My step grand son is SOO into that. He loves that HBO zombie show and he has been talking about the apocolypse for a long time. There's a zombie sign on pinterest that I need to order for him.
Oh, and I'm a banker, I'd definitely give preferential treatment to anyone who scrapbooks. They should count as your deposit. LOL.

Tammy, sorry your wounded. Get stitches, they make things heal faster and then you can be back to crafting in no time.

I have my scrap room clean (and the housekeeper came today) so it is especially clean. I need to go play, but it is so nice outside.

Have to tell you a new toy I've been using and just love. The prima craft knife. I've had it in my drawer for a while now thinking its a new craft knife, but I really like it now at I'm using it. Mostly it comes with different types of blades, so you can cut better. And the balance on the thing (holding it wise) is really good. I have trouble with my hands, so a regular exacto is a no go. It has to feel right in my hands. You'd have to play with it and use the different blades to notice the big differences, but If you need one, this one is awesome!

Ms Tanya, you're very welcome, you know I'm a big sucker for pups, especially poor babies that need good mommies and daddies. I've had 3 dogs that were rescues and they were all such good babies.
And on to another topic, you are just far too busy on the weekends! You need to set some priorities so you can come play with me and Korybean at MHF, lol!
Okay, KK, the lovely Ms Tanya is out this month for Demo Day, now we need to work on Sheryl and see if we can talk her into joining us!
I'm very sad this evening. One of my coworkers who is very ill (one of the ones I made a card for over the weekend) was at home under hospice care but early this week she was having such trouble breathing that they took her into the hospital. She is still there, and will probably not be going home. Anyway, I went to visit her after work today, and even though logically I knew how critical she was, seeing her in person really kicked me in the gut and broke my heart. She is such a precious person, I've never seen her without a smile on her face and a kind word to say, and to see her so ill and know that her time on earth is nearing the end was almost more than I could handle. Once I got to my car, I just lost it and couldn't keep from thinking what a whiner I was when my surgery was nothing compared to what she has gone through. She has been so brave and has never complained, and when she does leave this world, there will be a void that nothing will fill.
Sorry to be a downer, but y'all are all such good listeners and compassionate people, I know I can depend on y'all to understand and say a prayer or send out good thoughts for my dear friend.
Okay, on that note, I have lots to pray for tonight and it's already getting hard to keep my eyes open, so I'm heading to bed. I hope everyone is doing well, that you've all had a good week, and that you all have fun plans for the weekend. Also hope everyone else will be enjoying a holiday Monday like me!
Later, y'all!

So sorry to hear about your friend. Prayers to her and her family. I watched my brother and my mother lie there till the end and it is very hard. You feel totally helpless. You just have to remember that the suffering is ending and that things will soon be better for them.

Sometimes I have a hard time not feeling sorry for myself, because I'm always facing another surgery or something (as I lay here on a heating pack after taking pain meds) but then I remember there are lots of people who would give anything to be in my shoes. So then I just force myself to shake it off, chin up and go on with life. But we are allowed our pity parties every now and then!

Oh and just so you know, the pain tonight. Self induced. I planted mums and pansies this evening. I am not supposed to do that at all, but well, that's part of the go on with life part. And I will like seeing the pretty flowers. It's all good! Until I stand up by the hot grill cooking hot dogs outside at work for 4 hours tomorrow. Another self induced thing, but that's another story.

I will not be at demo day this month. I'm flying back from Tampa with my BFF that day. If we get back on time, may stop at Affair of the Heart, just because we always go. Sorry!

I'm hoping to get my SIL quilt finished this weekend and make some cards for coworkers. I give them when they are sad, or doing really well at work or been working hard on charity events. Just so they know someone notices, and cares. May be kind of silly, but I think they do appreciate them. Most of them leave them out on their desks for quite a while.

Darla I'm so sorry to hear about your coworker. I'm sending Lots of positive thoughts your way. At least you got to go for a visit. I think it's always harder losing someone suddenly without any chance to process or say what you might want to say.

But you are not a whiner! There is always someone somewhere who is worse off than we are. Yes, it's good to think of others and try to stay positive, but like Sheryl said, we are all allowed to also have our own "moments". Just because other people have it worse does not make what we are going through any less important.

Henri, Love the halloween pics from earlier! On your Robert layout, since I don't know what all is involved it's hard to really think of anything concrete, but if you have Ornamental Iron cart maybe you could do some iron gate type embellies... very simple and don't overwhelm the page but they can be made to look kind of creepy. Also, I think it sounds like a perfect layout to try some of the inking you've been wanting to try. I know you were going to look up some videos on youtube. Maybe you can still keep it simple but give it just a bit of distressing to help dress it up?